For a day, Edwards focuses on New Hampshire

John Edwards, the only Democrat presidential candidate campaigning in New Hampshire today, is piggybacking on his appearances with a new TV ad that makes sweeping promises of what he would do in the White House.

Edwards pledges to use the power of the presidency to restore America's moral authority abroad, take on powerful interests at home, give voice to the powerless, and restore the American Dream.

"Because I know that the power that comes with the presidency comes from you," he concludes in the ad, which starts airing today in New Hampshire.

But a more noteworthy pro-Edwards ad is airing in Iowa, where the other Democrats are starting the stretch drive before the Jan. 3 caucuses, which come five days before the New Hampshire primary.

It is being financed by a group affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, whose Iowa chapter endorsed Edwards. The Alliance for New America is one of the so-called 527 organizations, which are not directly tied to campaigns, which can accept unlimited contributions, but which in limited ways can praise a candidate. Edwards and Barack Obama's camps have been sparring in recent days over whether Edwards should accept help from the group, given that he has been railing against the influence of special interests.

The Edwards campaign said today that it has opened five new field offices around the Granite State and that volunteers made 75,000 phone calls to voters last week -- the most of any week this campaign.

The former US senator from North Carolina returns to Iowa on Thursday to stump there until the caucuses.